Determination of bone maturation according to the cervical vertebrae morphology, sex, and facial biotype of children and adolescents from Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

During the process of growth and development, a series of events occur with more or less regularity and similarity in all children from birth through adulthood. Carpal X-ray showed a large number of secondary ossification centers, considered “Indicators of maturity”, located in the hand, wrist, and distal epiphyses of the ulna and radius. Currently, morphological changes in the cervical vertebrae are considered indicators of bone maturation. Objective: in order to minimize radiation in children and adolescents when determining the degree of bone maturation, carpal radiography was replaced by lateral tele radiography of the skull, which is normally used, also checking the age of maturation in our population.  When deciding the treatment plan, this study allowed us to determine the method to use for the resolution of the clinical case: orthopedics, orthodontics, or both at the same time. Materials and methods: a cross-sectional study without patient follow-up. Latera X-rays of the skull, orthopantomography and carpus were analyzed from 318 children and adolescents of both sexes aged 10 to16 years of age with permanent teeth in both dental arches, with/without the presence of the 2^nd molar. The facial biotype was determined by the Björk-Jarabak cephalogram. Results: there were no significant variations between the mean ages in the different facial biotypes, where lower mean values were observed in males with a dolichofacial biotype and meso biotype with a tendency to brachyfacial. In girls, it was observed that most of them were significantly related (p<0-05) with the exception of mesofacial biotype between chronological ages with vertebral bone ages and vertebral bone ages with carpal and dental bones. While in males, there was an exception in the dolichofacial biotype in all variables, being only significant among the variables: chronological ages with carpal bones and vertebral ages with carpal bones. Therefore, we can conclude that there is a high correlation between vertebral, carpal, and dental bone ages in both sexes and facial biotypes, except in girls with mesofacial biotype.